


Never Looked Back

by quartermasterandhisagent



Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Barista Nursey, Getting Together, M/M, Mutual Pining, NHL!Dex, Oblivious Dex, Oblivious Nursey, POV Alternating, Writer!Nursey
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-31
Updated: 2016-12-31
Packaged: 2018-09-13 11:44:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 4,761
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9122110
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/quartermasterandhisagent/pseuds/quartermasterandhisagent
Summary: When one William “Dex” Poindexter walks into Bits ’n Bites, Derek Nurse absolutely does not trip over his own feet – no matter what his co-worker Chris says. He does however, nearly spill hot coffee nearly all over himself – NHL!Dex / Coffee Shop AU





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Springsteen](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Springsteen/gifts).



It’s a rainy Tuesday morning in March when Eric Bittle walks into the door of Bits ‘n Bites, practically vibrating with excitement. If he wasn’t Derek’s boss, he would be tempted to tell Eric, who they all called Bitty, to “Chill.” Instead he asks, “’Sup, Bits?”

  
“Jack called me, just as I was leaving the market this morning. They’re on a roadie out west, playing Dallas, Arizona and Colorado before coming home—“ He pauses to take a huge swig of the coffee Derek handed him as he approached the door to the back room. “George called a team meeting before Breakfast. Y'all, it's the best news! They managed to snag Poindexter. Not without a sacrifice, of course -- a couple draft picks and a third string goalie. He’s flying back with the team – Jack called to ask if he could invite Dex – that’s what they call him—to stay with us until he finds his own place. Of course I said yes!” Bitty rolls his eyes, but a small warm, smile tugs at his lips. There’s a few whoops of excitement from the back room, where Chris is busy storing the purchases Bitty had stopped to pick up earlier.

  
Nursey however, feels his roof stuck to his mouth and can’t find any words. He knows Poindexter of course – everyone in hockey does. Not that Derek is _in_ hockey per say, but when you live in Providence, a hockey-town and your boss is dating NHL star and captain of the Providence Falconers, it doesn’t exactly escape you either. But he knows about Poindexter – athletic scholarship to University of Maine, practically a nobody until Dallas drafted him third round, went on to win the Norris in his rookie year, only to hit the worst Sophomore slump anyone could remember. Derek felt bad for the guy. He'd carried the Stars through playoffs with Seguin and Benn both hurt, only to be torn to pieces by the media.

  
It’s not surprising Providence was interested in him – Georgia Martin, the GM had a reputation of looking after her players, and going after anyone who harassed them. So it was great, really – there was only one teensy problem. Derek Nurse had the _biggest_ crush on Will Poindexter. Honestly, it was embarrassing -- he has U of Maine jersey in the back of his closet (despite having gone to Samwell) for crying out loud. And now Poindexter was coming here? To Providence? His life was over.

  
He felt a hand rest on his shoulder, and turned to see Bitty looking at him with concern. “Nursey, honey are you okay? You’ve just been _standing_ there, not a word from you this whole time. I wasn’t rambling was I?” Distantly, he heard the chime of bells above the door, meaning someone had just walked in.

  
“Uh,” Derek said ineloquently, “I think, I think I should help Chris...unload the flour. Yeah,” he said, turning to flee to the back room. Bitty shouted something after him about how he didn’t work the counter, but all he could focus on was how red his face was, and that he needed a minute. _Breathe, Nurse. It’s not the end of the world, he probably won’t even come here._

  
Luckily for Bitty, it wasn’t a customer, but their accountant Adam who had walked in. Having heard the whole thing, he turned to Bitty and said, “Bro, what’s with him?”

  
Bitty could only shake his head. “I haven’t the faintest idea.”


	2. Chapter 2

Dex couldn’t believe it. After everything last year, he’d gotten a phone call from his agent and a quick “It’s nothing personal,” from the GM. But from the looks on the faces from the older guys on the team when he broke the news– everything to sympathetic to grim and somber—said otherwise. It was such bullshit. Whatever. At least his Mom would be happy that he’d be closer to home.

Speaking of which – he felt, rather than heard his phone buzz angrily on the hall table where he’d tossed it when he got home from his meeting at the crack of dawn. The trade deadline wasn’t even until 3pm – he didn’t know why he had to be at the rink for 8am. God, he just wanted to _sleep,_ but the incessant buzzing reminded him that his mom wouldn’t stop calling, as it died off only to pick up a few seconds later.

Groaning as he got up, he made his way over to the table, not even bothering with a greeting as pressed the phone to his ear. “Will, honey, are you alright? We just heard the news…” she trailed off, obviously holding something back.

“I’m fine, mom” Dex replied. He loved his mom, but he honestly would rather be anywhere else than having this conversation – he hated lying to his mom. He liked Dallas, he liked the guys. He didn’t ask to be traded. And yeah, he hadn’t been playing the greatest this year, but it was called a sophomore slump for a reason – it would get better. It had to. So yeah he was miserable, but fuck if he was going to tell his mom that.

“Are you sure? You sound tired. Are you getting enough sleep? Eating enough?” she said, _aanndd there it was._ If nothing else, he could always count on his mom to be completely unable to hold back.

Dex sighed heavily, scrubbing his face with his hand. “Yeah, I’m fine. Promise. I’m going to take a nap before my meeting with the GM from Providence though. They want to take me out to lunch. I’ll call you later okay?”

“Okay, sweetie. I just worry about you, all by yourself out there. We miss you so much, Will.”

“I know. I do too. I gotta go, Mom. Love you.” Dex hangs up the phone after that, relieved. He really did need the nap if he didn’t want to embarrass himself at lunch.

 *                                             *                                               *

 

Lunch isn’t as bad as he expected, even if he wasn’t expecting Jack Zimmermann to be there too. His agent hadn’t mentioned Zimmermann would be there, just that Georgia Martin wanted to meet him in person and go over his contract with him, and discuss logistics. Apparently Zimmermann – Jack, Will mentally corrected himself – was part of that. It made sense of course, he was the captain after all, and had an amazing hockey IQ, so he would know where the coaches were likely to put him. He appreciated it, but a heads up would have been nice.

“So, uh, Will,” Jack begins as they sit down at a bistro Dex had never heard of, but apparently it's a few blocks away from the rink and the hotel the Falcs we’re staying at. Not that it mattered, since technically he didn’t live in Dallas anymore.

“Dex,” Will corrects him automatically, but kicks himself mentally almost immediately. He didn’t want to get on Jack’s bad side right away. God, he was an idiot.

Jack doesn't seem to notice the argument he was having with himself. Instead he smiles slightly, nodding as he says, “Dex.” He isn’t even bothered by the correction, just accepting it without hesitation, and Dex’s mind is a little blown. “We’ll probably start you on third line, and the PK to get you some extra ice time to start with.”  Dex nods. It’s more than he was expecting, more than he probably deserved.

“Of course, the coaches will have more to say later when you meet with them back in Providence, but that’s not why we asked you here.” Georgia says after the waiter had taken their orders.

“It’s not?” Dex asks, confused. He can’t ignore the way his body tenses without his permission – he doesn’t like being lied to, and his agent Larissa had said the meeting would be ironing out the details. She couldn’t be there of course, being the trade deadline and all. It wasn’t like he was her only client after all. Actually, now that he thought about it, he was pretty sure she was Jack’s agent too.

Georgia laughs but it’s not unkind. She holds her hands up in the air in a kind of “not my department” way. “I like to stay behind the scenes. Unless of course someone’s got a problem with my team.” She says, giving a meaningful look in Wills’ direction. He swallows nervously.

Jack sees his apprehension, and says “It’s not something you have to worry about here. We, uh, look after our own, eh?” He rubs the back of his neck, almost looking sheepish. Dex remembers watching the frankly ridiculous numbers of pressers Zimmermann did his first year, with the hype of his overdue debut, and his rivalry with Kent Parson, and coming out publicly in the off-season of his rookie year, only to be named captain the following year.

Dex can only nod dumbly, not really having words. He isn’t great with words to begin with, but he really doesn’t know what to say. They don’t even _know_ him. It makes a lump rise in his throat, just thinking about how much of a relief it would be if he didn’t have to get grilled after every game of this hellish season.

They lapse into easy conversation, gossiping half about the team (both Dallas and Providence) and half about the rest of the league while they eat their meals.

“So U of Maine?” Jack asks after a while.

Dex shrugs, and says, “Yeah, I wanted to keep playing hockey, but I didn’t get scouted in high school. My parents wanted me to get an education, but college is expensive. Maine offered me an athletic scholarship, so I got to keep playing hockey and I made my parents happy going to school.”  

“I played for UMich for that reason,” Georgia says, and oh right – he’d forgot Georgia played Juniors before going to U of Michigan, and eventually becoming GM of the Falcs. “I studied Business, how about you?”

“Computer Science.” Dex says. He turns to Jack, “You went to college too, right?”

Jack nods, “Yeah, History at Samwell. Met a lot of great guys there – Bitty included.”

“Who you’ll meet,” Georgia says “Jack tells me he’s offered to let you stay in their guest bedroom while you get settled. I’d offer you mine but we’re in the middle of a renovation so it’s chaos—“

“Oh, that’s okay. You don’t have to do that, really. I’ll be okay with –“ He tries to say he’s planning on meeting with a real estate agent as soon as he touches down in Providence, but Jack cuts him off.

“It’s no trouble really. Bits loves having company over. And it’s hard to find a place in Providence. I was lucky knowing I was going to play in Providence after graduation, so I had months to look. Maybe Bits will make more pie with you here.” Jack sounds hopeful, like he’s a man whose been deprived of pie for too long.

“Pie?” Dex has to ask, because really?

“Oh yeah. Jack’s partner has a bakery in Providence. Our nutritionist hates it, but none of our guys can keep away from it. You’ll probably end up there soon enough. It’s the best pie you’ve ever had.”

Jack nods enthusiastically at this.

Dex tilts his head and asks, “If you like pie so much, why haven’t you touched desert?” pointing his fork at Jack’s untouched slice of Cherry Pie.

Jack looks down at his plate, like he’d forgotten about it, before pushing his slice towards Dex. “I would never cheat on Bits or his pie like that.”

Dex is skeptical, but he’s not about to argue with his captain. Not on the first day at least.


	3. Chapter 3

It's been three weeks. Three weeks since the trade news broke. Three weeks since Poindexter boarded a plane bound for Providence as the newest member of the Providence Falconers. He hasn't shown up to Bits ‘n Bites once.

It isn’t like Derek is disappointed or anything, more like relieved. There is significantly less chance of him embarrassing himself if Will doesn't drop by the café, at least when Derek was working. He is finally starting to relax, back to cultivating the careful air of “Chill” he’s been working on since freshman year at Andover, long before he met Bitty, Jack, Chris, Adam and everyone else from Samwell that he’d come to know as his family.

Of course, this is when Will walks in the door.

He's just finishing serving a customer--a ridiculously complicated latte by even his standards, and has moved on to  putting a fresh pot of their house blend (Guatemalan, fair-trade, dark roast) out when he catches sight of Dex walking in, wearing what is obviously a newly tailored suit for game day(it fits in all the right places). Derek doesn’t trip on his own two feet. He does however, nearly spill coffee on himself – managing only just nearly not to swear as he jumps out of the way to avoid the coffee pot he’d just dropped.

“Woah! Are you okay?” Chris asks, standing too close, a stack of dishes balanced precariously in one hand. “What just happen—”he glances over at the door, catching sight of Dex standing there in shock. “Ohh,” he says, grinning. “I’ll get Bitty,” Chris calls out to Will.

It takes everything Nursey has not to bang his head on the glass counter top – mostly because a) it wouldn’t help and b) he’d just have to clean it again later. Instead, he ducks his head to hide his burning cheeks as he steps carefully around the mess he’d made (thankfully entirely behind the counter where none of the customers could possibly slip and hurt themselves) and heads towards the small supply closet towards the back exit of the café to grab a mop and a broom.

When he comes back a few minutes later, Bitty is already sitting with Dex, a fresh piece of peach cobbler and a cup of coffee from the other coffee machine. He catches Will’s eye and blushes when he overhears Bitty say “Oh don’t mind Derek, he’s sweet as can be. Just a little clumsy sometimes, but the best barista I’ve ever had. This place would fall apart without him, really.”

Not exactly the greatest first impression, but who was he kidding. Why would someone as good looking and talented as Will be interested in someone like him? Graduate student in an MFA program, a handful of poems published but nothing major to his name, full time barista at a café that Will’s roommate happens to own. Doesn’t mean anything in the grand scheme of things, he reminds himself. He almost wishes for a do-over, maybe then he’d be charming.

Will doesn’t glance his way again the rest of his shift, and this time Derek goes home disappointed.

 


	4. Chapter 4

Will spends most of the time outside of games and practices out of the house, either at the gym or meeting with real estate agents (Jack really hadn’t been kidding about the real estate market) or just generally getting the feel of the city. He’d _almost_ forgotten how cold the Northeast could be in the spring/ Even this close to Easter, there was still snow on the ground. He’d accidentally locked himself out after running to the post office, and it's too cold to hang out somewhere until he knew Jack would be back from running errands or Bitty got home from work. Which is how he finds himself heading towards Bitty’s café for the first time since he’d arrived three weeks ago.

It’s not that he isn’t grateful for the hospitality, because he is. Jack has been an amazing Captain making sure he was settled, and Bitty has been so welcoming, but he couldn’t help feel like he was intruding in on their life. He didn’t want them to feel obligated to include him, which is why he’s turned them down any time they had plans to meet up with friends, inventing plans of his own – even if it meant he ended up going to the movies by himself for a double feature on a Sunday afternoon when they didn’t have a game or practice. They’d built a life for themselves, and Dex hadn’t asked really for them to make room for him in it. It was still an adjustment that they welcomed him so readily, when no one really had. He has friends in Maine, and in Dallas of course, but this felt different. He couldn’t exactly put his finger on it. But he’d avoided this one place, despite both the teams insistence and Bits’ promise that he’d pick something out just for him whenever he came by.

He’s heard all about it of course. Bitty brings home stories all the time, and even the guys on the team have a few amusing tidbits to share. But no one has warned him about the gorgeous barista who worked there in the mornings – dark curls that look a little unruly but Dex knew are carefully styled, and a tattoo peaking under the tight black shirt as he turns carrying a full pot of coffee. _Damn_ , Dex was going to have to come here more often.

He watches in horror as the handsome barista caught sight of him and promptly dropped a pot of hot coffee on the ground for no apparently reason, other than Dex walking in the door had startled him for some reason? Will did a quick shoulder check, trying to figure out a logical reason for his behaviour but he found nothing out of place. He hears the man behind him, overly cheerful as he called for Bitty, announcing his arrival to the _entire café._

Luckily for Will, the regulars at Bits n’ Bites are pretty used to seeing NHL players walking in so he didn’t get too many looks as he stands there awkwardly, trying not to watch as the barista shuffled towards what looks like a supply closet to clean up the mess.

Bitty is _ecstatic_ to see him. He doesn't seem to mind at all that Dex had locked himself out, readily handing over his own house keys, but not before insisting on Will sitting down for a coffee and piece of cobbler that he’d just made “Since I know y’all have a game tonight, and you’re missing out on you’re pre-workout meal. I know it’s not nutritionist approved, but one teeny piece of cobbler never hurt anyone," Bitty says to him, patting him on the shoulder before taking a seat next to him.

Dex is happy for the company for once. He's been a little homesick, but he doesn't want to worry his mom. Or worse, have his mom take time off to visit him. Bitty really is great company, not making him feel bad for dropping by unexpectedly when Bitty probably has a tonne to do–he’ll have to remember to thank Jack and Bitty again for welcoming him so readily.

By the time Dex is ready to leave, Bitty having returned to the kitchen, the handsome barista is gone. Dex is dissapointed, having not even gotten his name, much less a chance to talk to him.


	5. Chapter 5

Dex makes a habit after that to come by a few times a week, hoping to get a chance to talk to the barista, who he now knows is named Derek. He’s even tried flirting with the guy a few times, but all of his advances have been pointedly ignored. Even more frustrating is the fact there is no one he could talk to about it, because everyone he knew here _also_ knew Derek and he didn’t want him to know. The worst part, isn’t that Derek might find out, or he could be not interested in Will, but it’s started to affect his on-ice performance. He can’t focus the way he used to. It isn't like he's day dreaming like some silly school girl, caught drawing hearts and writing Mr. Derek Poindexter in his notes or anything ridiculous like that but he's flubbing passes and too many turnovers had cost him his spot on the second line. The coaches are pissed at him, and the guys keep looking at him funny and asking him if he's okay.

He's humiliated when Jack asks him to stay after practice, figuring he's going to ream him out. If it's bad, he’ll probably get a hotel room for a few days ‘till the coast was clear. Maybe being away from Jack and Bitty and all of their friends for a few days would actually help get his head on straight.

But of course Jack doesn't want to yell at him. Now that he thinks about it, he couldn’t ever remember Jack yelling at someone, or even criticizing someone. After all Jack had been through—being touted as the wonderkid,  potential first overall, only for the pressure to be too much for him – it really shouldn’t have surprised Dex. Besides, Jack isn't that kind of guy, and that carries over into his hockey too. Instead he just talks to him, and _listens_ as they played one-on-one matches, running over plays that Dex has been struggling with recently. “He doesn’t even reply half the time. He just gets mad and walks away,” Dex practically shouts, but it's half drowned out by the _ping_ of the puck off the crossbar – even the crossbar is mocking him and his stupid _feelings_ for Derek Nurse.

Jack puts a hand on his shoulder, effectively stopping him from snapping _another_ stick. “He thinks you’re making fun of him,” Jack says gently.

“I _am_ making fun of him.” Dex says confused, before adding, “He’s a giant dork.”  

Jack shakes his head, and skates to the bench. “ _Crisse._ No. He thinks you’re being mean. Not flirting. He doesn’t think you like him.”

“Fuck.” Dex says, dropping his head to rest on the top of the bench gate.

*            *            *

“Oh for heaven’s sake Derek, just _talk to him_!” Bitty all but shouts at Derek after watching Dex walk out the door, frowning. It isn’t like Derek is _trying_ to piss Will off, he just doesn’t get the guy’s humour. Bits swore up and down that Will was hilarious, and thoughtful – “He got us tickets to see Hamilton! Jack was so excited, you should have seen it Nursey! I thought he was going to cry.” But honestly so far he kind of seemed like an asshole? Devastatingly handsome, but an asshole none the less. All he’s done for the past month and a half is make fun of him. For his soy lattes “I’m allergic” he’d told Dex when he’d why he couldn’t just drink normal coffee like the rest of the world. For majoring in creative writing “What’s that got to do with any of this?” he’d asked waving a hand to the café. For his beanies and knit sweaters that cost more than Dex had apparently ever spent on anything but game-day suits and equipment. “Do you know he asked me where you shopped and what size you wore? He’s planning on replacing your favourite grey turtleneck because it’s a little faded.He’s been grumbling for days about how Nordstrom refuses to give him the name of their supplier, because they don’t sell it anymore ”

“What?” Derek asked, choking on a brownie.

“I head the whole thing! Totally ‘swawesome!” Chris pipes up, which is so not helping his confusion right now.

“He likes you, you like him. It’s simple really. Just ask him out.” Bitty tells him, glaring now. If  Bitty breaks out the “I’m not mad, I’m just disappointed” look, he’s doomed. Then again, maybe he's been doomed from the start.


	6. Chapter 6

He's his Moms three times in the day and a half leading up to his date with Dex.

“You’re really worried about this, aren’t you?” his mom asks him.

“I can’t write, I haven’t eaten all day because I don’t want to not have room for dinner. And I keep listening to Led Zeppelin? And Rush? Which is like, fine, they’re _good._ But I can’t tell him _that_ or else he’s going to tease me about like his Dad rock,” Derek says, damn near sounding petulant.

“Where are you going?” she asks him, trying not to laugh. He reminds him so much of herself when she first met Amita. She knows her son well enough to know that he might faint and give himself a concussion by hitting his head off a table if she tells him that. L _ater. I’ll tell him later_ , she thinks.

“Bits picked it out, he says it’s got good Clam Chowder and a couple decent vegan options. Dex was mentioning being homesick, so I’d thought I’d surprise him.”

“What time is he going to pick you up at?”

“He said six—shit,” he swears.

At the same time, his mom cuts in “Derek Malik, it’s five thirty, _go.”_

He hangs up after that, and nearly trips rushing to get in the shower and dressed. He’s just managed to catch his breath when the doorbell rings. Three times.

_“_ Chill, I’m comin’” he calls out through the door.

Dex stumbles when the door is wrenched open suddenly.

“Wow, you look great,” Derek says, as he catches and steadies him.

“You too,” Dex says after a moment. He smiles, tentatively as he holds out his arm for Derek. “Ready?” Nursey nods.

It’d taken them weeks to get to this point. At first they couldn’t even talk to each other without trading passive aggressive comments, and starting petty arguments about the level of pretentiousness of Derek’s latest latte art, or the ridiculous project Dex had taken on in his free time. “Renovating a house? It’s the playoffs, Dex! Shouldn’t you be focusing on more important things, like your job?” Nursey had shouted at him, after one too many beers after a game that they’d all been invited over to watch. Dex had honestly wanted to eat his weight in pasta and crawl into bed after the game, but instead he found himself in the lounge entertaining company, and sparring with Nursey of all people. “That’s rich, coming from a barista,” he’d rolled his eyes, and missed the hurt look on Derek’s face. He was confused when Nursey had stomped out of the condo and didn’t return his phone calls or texts for three days.

But they were here, even if it had taken their friends practically locking them in a room to sort through their problems – namely, that they both liked each other, but were too chicken shit to admit so they teased each other mercilessly. They still sometimes had trouble using their words, and they doubted they would ever stop teasing each other. But they both understood what was at stake now, and it meant too much to ever cross that line. Tonight was the first step in figuring out where exactly that line was.


	7. Epilogue

“So you’re a writer too, huh?” Dex asks, leaning over on the couch to see what Nursey was writing.

“Poet.” Derek says, not pausing to look up at Dex.

“Same thing,” Dex says easily, hopping one handed over the couch, only to flop down beside Nursey, jostling him.

“Nope.” Dex shoves him, and his hand slips “Damn it Dex,” he growls, but there’s no heat to his words. “I’m trying to write.” He pauses, rubbing his hand on his temple absent-mindedly trying to figure out what he was trying to say.

Will reaches over, gently prying the Moleskin notebook and silver pen out of Derek’s hand, tossing them without looking on to the table. “Not anymore,” he says, draping himself over Derek.

“Babe, it’s important” Nursey insists, half-heartedly because he’s got a soft-spot when Dex is cuddly, which is practically never.

“Mhm, I’m sure. Not more important than your boyfriend though,” Dex teases, dropping his full weight on top of Derek, peppering his face with kisses.

“It’s for our anniversary” Derek manages after a minute or two, once he remembers how to talk again, because damn.

Dex freezes at that, because oh. He wasn’t expecting that. He can feel, rather than see Derek’s smirk at that. Normally he’d be annoyed at that, he doesn’t like being caught off guard like that. But two can play that game. “You’ll just have to run some lines by me then,” he says, dropping his kisses lower, trailing down his neck towards his collarbone.

Nursey laughs bright, and loudly in reply. It’s cheesy and they both know it, but neither one seems to mind. Will ducks his head, and smiles. Yeah, he could get used to this.


End file.
